Air-pump for gasolene-tanks.



G. E. RAYMOND.

AIR PUMP FOR GASOLENE TANKS.

APPLICATION mw DEc.22. 1914.

Patented Apr. 10,1917.

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GEORGE E. RAYMOND, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

.AIR-PUMP FOR GASOLENE-TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1917.

Application filed. December 22, 1914. Serial No. 878,625.

To all whom/15 may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. RAYMOND, a subject of the King of Great Britain, having declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented `a new and useful Air-Pump for Gasolene-Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to liquid fuel engines and is particularly adapted for use on automobiles.

In the practical operation of such engines, it is generally most convenient to store the fuel at some distance from the engine in a tight tank, and it is common practice to force the fuel to the engine by means of air pressure acting on the surface of the liquid. This is very desirable in an automobile, as it enables a positive feed .of fuel at all times regardless of the position of the tank. i

It is common practice to provide such engines with a hand pump by which this pressure is linitially produced and by which the pressure may be renewed from time to time. As it is commercially impractical to build pumps which have absolutely tight pistons, it is desirable to seal the tank after the pressure is produced, so that there will be no loss yof pressure due to leakage through the pump. It is further desirable to relieve the pressure in the top of the tank whenever the engine is shut down, so that there will be no tendency for the gasolene to escape from the tank due to leakage at any point.

The principal object of the'invention is to provide means in combination with an air pump for connecting the air pump :to the interior of the tank, connecting the interior lof the tank with the `open air, Aor entirely sealing the tank for the purpose of maintaining pressure therein.

A second object of the invention is to accomplish the first object, utilizing for that purpose the handle by which the air pump is normally operated.

A third object is to accomplish the second object without interfering in any way with the normal loperation and action of the pump.

A fourth object of the invention is to provide means by which the operator can utilize the same handle for the purpose of instantly determining and indicating the exact position of the valve.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

Figure 1 is a view of the invention as applied to an automobile, a portion of the automobile being shown in dotted lines to illustrate a. preferred method of installing the invention thereon.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the air pump, a portion thereof being shown in section to better illustrate the invention, the valve being shown in the closed position.

Fig. 3 is a section on the Vplane -m of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the plane :r4-.mt of Fig. 3, with the valve in the pressure position.

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the plane 5-m5 .of Fig. 3, with the valve in the open position.

Fig. 6 is a section on the plane .wem6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a view of an alternative construction of valve, a portion thereof being shown in section.

Fig. 8 is a section on the plane m-ws of Fig. 7.

In the drawings, a 'cylinder 11 has a cap 12 and ahead 13 threaded thereon. A piston rod 14 slides through an opening in the cap 12 and is secured at its lower end to a piston 15 which consists of a cap leather 16 clamped between two heads 17 and 18. The piston rod 1A is threaded into a block 19 and secured by a pin 20. The block 19 is cylindrical and has a vprojection 21. The head 13 has a conical opening 22 which contains a valve member 23 which has a head w24 with a cylindrical opening or socket 25 therein, the opening 25 being suited to receive the block 19, and having a slot -26 on one side thereof into which the projection 21 of the block 19 may enter. The valve member 23 has a circular groove 27 which is engaged by a compression spring 28 secured by means of a screw 29 to the inside of the head 13, the said spring 28 exerting a constant downward pressure on the valve 23 to keep the same properly seated. A handle 30 is secured to the upper end of the piston'rod 14 and has a pointer 31. The top ofthe cap 12 is marked as shown at 32, 33 and 34: with the three positions in which it is desired to place the valve member 23. The valve member 23 is provided with a pump opening 35 in which is placed a plug 36 having a ball 37 forming a check valve. The valve member 23 has a tank opening 40 which communicates with the interior of a threaded nipple 41 Yconnected through a pipe 42 with the tank 43. A pressure opening 44 is so located in the side of the head 13 that it connects the pump opening 35 with the tank opening 40 when the valve member 23 is in the pressure position. An outlet opening 45 is provided in the head 13 so located that it connects the tank opening 40 with the outside air through the opening 45 when the valve member 23 is in the open position. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, the tank opening 40 in the valve member 23 is sealed.

In the modification shown in Figs.V 7 and 8, the tank is connected to a tank opening 50 which communicates through an opening 52 lwith a pump opening 53 when the valve is in the pressure position, a ball valve 54 being provided to hold the pressure. The opening 52 is an elongated one, and when the valve 55 in which it is formed is turned to the open position, the opening 50 is connected with an outlet opening 56 leading to the outer air.

The method of operation of the invention is as follows The parts being in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the projection 21 engaging the slot 26, the handle 30 is turned so that the pointer 31 points to the position 32, the valve member 23 thus being turned to the pressure position as shown in Fig. 4. The piston 15 is then reeiprocated by means of the piston rod 14 and the handle 30, air being pumped downwardly through the open- -ing 35, through the opening 44, and through the opening 40 into the interior of the projection 41, and from thence through the pipe 42 into the tank 43, the pressure being held on the upward stroke by means of the check valve 37. Airis admitted to the interior of the cylinder through a small hole 59 in the cap 12. When the pressurehas been raised sufficiently in the tank 43, the piston rod 14 is forced to its lowest position, and the handle 30 is turned until the projection 21 engages the slot 26. The valve member 23 is then turned to the closed position as shown in Fig. 2, the opening 40 being sealed and the pressure being maintained on the tank 43. Whenever it is desired to relieve the pressure in the tank, which should be done whenever the automobile is allowed to sta-nd for long periods, the handle 30 is manipulated until the projection .21 engages the slot 26 andthe valve member is turned into the open position as shown in Fig. 5, in

lwhich position the pressure upon the tank 43 is relieved through the opening 45. The tank can thereafter be sealed by turning the handle to the closed position 34, as shown in Fig. 3.

It is to be noted that the pump may be operated independently of the valve member can be determined at any time by rotating the handle until the projection 21 engages the slot 26. The position of the valve is then indicated by the markings 32, 33 and 34.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination a pump cylinder, a piston rod, a piston thereon in said cylinder, a head on the lower end of said cylinder having an open connection at the bottom thereof to said tank, and a pressure opening, a valve member in said head having a pump opening connecting with said cylinder, and a tank opening, a check valve in said pump opening, and means on said piston rod for operating said valve member to bring the openings therein into and out of communication withthe pressure opening in said head.

2. In combination a pump cylinder, a piston rod, a piston on said rod, a head on the lower end of said cylinder having an open connection to said tank and having a pressure opening, a valve member in said head, having a pump opening in communication with said cylinder and a tank opening therein, a check valve in said pump opening, said valve member having a socket in the upper end thereof, a block on the lower end of said piston rod adapted to enter said socket, means on said block for engaging said valve member when said block is in said socket, and external means for determining the position of said valve member.

3. In combination a pump cylinder, a. piston rod, a piston on said rod, a head on the lower end of said cylinder having an open communication to said tank and an air outlet opening, a valve member in said head having a pump opening in communication with said cylinder and a tank opening therein, a check valve in said pump opening, elastic means for holding said valve melnber in said head, said valve member having a socket in the upper end thereof, a block on the lower end of said piston rod adapted to enter said socket, said head having a pressure opening therein adapted to connect the pump opening and tank opening in said valve member in communication, and means on said block adapted to engage said valve member when said block is in said socket, to place said pressure opening in communication with the tank opening and the pump opening in said valve member, in neutral position, or to place said tank opening in communication with said outlet opening in said head.

4. In combination a pump cylinder, a piston rod, a piston thereon, a head on the lower end of said cylinder having a pressure opening therein and an air outlet opening, a valve member in said head having a pump opening and a tank opening, a Check valve in said pump opening, means for elastio'ally retaining said valve member in said head, and means on said piston rod 5 whereby said valve member may be rotated to open communication from said tank to said cylinder, or to said air outlet, or in position to seal Said tank.

5. In combination a pump cylinder, a

10 piston rod, a piston thereon, a head on the lower end of said cylinder having a conical opening therein in alinement With said cylinder, a valve member in the conical opening in said head, having,` a socket in the upper 15 end thereof, elastic means for retaining said valve member therein, a block on the lower end of said rod adapted to enter said socket, means on said block adapted to engage said valve member when said block is in said head to rotate said valve member about the 20 axis of said head, and a check valve in said valve member for said pump cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 15th day of December, 1914.

GEORGE E. RAYMOND.

In presence of- FRANK L. A. GRAHAM, ISABEL HALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

